Australian Muslims Denounce Proposed 'Anti-Terror' Laws

ABC Religion and Ethics
21 Aug 2014

After 13 years of the "war on terror," the world is not a safer place. It is time for the wider community to properly debate these matters, rather than be misled by the fear mongering of politicians.
Credit: shutterstock.com

This statement articulates our position with respect to the counter-terrorism proposals announced by the Abbott Government earlier this month. These proposals are unjust and unjustified.

We - the undersigned imams, activists, leaders, community organisations and student bodies of the Muslim community - denounce these proposals and the broader "war on terror" regime within which they fit.

We highlight the following:

These laws clearly target Muslims and they do so unjustly. Whilst the language of the law is neutral, it is no secret that in practice these laws specifically target Muslims. Prime Minister Tony Abbott's commentary in selling these laws also makes this clear.

The primary basis of these laws is a trumped up "threat" from "radicalised" Muslims returning from Iraq or Syria. There is no solid evidence to substantiate this threat. Rather, racist caricatures of Muslims as backwards, prone to violence and inherently problematic are being exploited. It is instructive that similar issues about Australian troops travelling abroad to fight or Jews travelling to train or fight with the Israeli Defence Force are simply never raised.

These proposals come in the same style as those which have preceded since the Howard era. An alleged threat is blown out of all proportion as the pretext, further "tightening" of the laws is claimed necessary and rushed through, without proper national debate or community consultation. The reality of the alleged threat is also exposed by the lack of correspondence between the official 'terror threat' level, which has remained the same since 2001, and the hysterical rhetoric from government ministers.

The Muslim community is being asked to sign off on laws and policies that have already been decided. Prime Minister Tony Abbott is merely seeking approval under the cover of consultation. He seeks that the Muslim community be on board because the policy entails the community policing itself. We refuse to provide such a rubber stamp on what is an unjust and hypocritical policy. We also reject government attempts to divide the Muslim community into "radicals" and "moderates" and to use the community for its agenda.

As Muslims, we are as concerned about peace and security for all as anyone else. At the same time, we are not naive. We are not fooled by those who speak against violence and terrorism but are its proponents at an institutional level through military and foreign policies. We are not fooled by those who speak of peace but maintain cordial ties with dictatorial regimes abroad and who support and justify the most heinous of violence inflicted on innocent people as seen recently in Gaza.

It is evident that the "war on terror" has been a failure. After thirteen long years, everyone can see that the world is not a safer place. Rather, violence and instability are noticeably more prevalent. The approach of continuously ramping up laws, lowering legal standards, spending more on defence and intelligence agencies is not working. Over $30 billion has been spent in Australia on this war yet the threat is "as high as it has ever been" according to the Prime Minister.

It is time for the wider community to take stock and properly debate these matters, instead of continually being misled by the politicians and their fear mongering. If matters continue as they are, we all stand to lose.

This letter was originally published on the Islam in Australia website. For more on this, you can listen to Andrew West discuss the reception of proposed "anti-terror" legislation with Aftab Malik, scholar in residence at the Lebanese Muslim Association, on RN's Religion and Ethics Report.

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Comments (7)

M.A. :

21 Aug 2014 6:47:45pm

The Muslim Community Reference Group of 2005 were used to legitimise the shocking Anti-terror act. The government tried to do the same today with these unprecedneted amendments that with strip away alot of rights from the population. But it seems the Muslim community is not allowing the apologists to be used again. Positive step.

Anonymous :

21 Aug 2014 6:12:51pm

I wouldn't say "most" because most of these sheikhs dnt belong to organisations. The point being made here is that the sheikhs stand as individuals on this matter and that the Shura of the organisations also are in agreiance.

Rashid.M :

21 Aug 2014 3:39:26pm

There was of course nothing inherently wrong with the Prime Minister's recent radio statement that, "Everyone has got to put this country, its interests, its values and its people first, and you don't migrate to this country unless you want to join our team". The problem is perception and context.

Firstly, there is a hint of the 'you're either with us or with the terrorists' ring about it, since 'Team Australia' in the context of the press conference where it was first mentioned, was a euphemism for unquestioned patriotic support for whatever the Abbott government planned in tackling radicalisation and the radicalised.

Secondly, this call for unity behind 'Team Australia' was deliberately announced in conjunction with the decision not to pursue amendments to section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act. The subtext and intended target of the announcement was clear. A quid pro quo, where Muslims, apparently grateful to the government for not legislating for the right of bigoted expression, would return the 'favour' by endorsing prima facie any upcoming 'anti terror' legislative agenda the government might propose.

As such, I'm left with the choice of either - accepting the government issued pom-poms, being branded un-Australian or worse (I am a Muslim after all), or starting a new team. 'Team Australians Against Sloganeering' perhaps?

JennyCK :

Ibrahim :

21 Aug 2014 3:03:40pm

Very interesting. Perhaps overplayed, here:

"The primary basis of these laws is a trumped up "threat" from "radicalised" Muslims returning from Iraq or Syria. There is no solid evidence to substantiate this threat. Rather, racist caricatures of Muslims as backwards, prone to violence and inherently problematic are being exploited. It is instructive that similar issues about Australian troops travelling abroad to fight or Jews travelling to train or fight with the Israeli Defence Force are simply never raised."

Cupcake :

25 Aug 2014 5:51:51am

Unfortunately, this is exactly the kind of thing that creates mistrust of the muslim community.

It's laughable to claim that the threat to Australia from jihadist's fighting overseas is 'trumped up', and to many people your stance is going to come across as dishonest. There might not be any 'solid evidence', but neither is there any 'solid evidence' that they will be benign. There are also very good logical and intuitive reasons to be suspicious of returning jihadis, especially for islamoskeptics with some knowledge of jihadist theology.

The difference between an Australian jihadi fighting overseas and an Australian Israeli soldier is the way jihadism carries a contiguity beween causes overseas and causes within Australia (eg the perception of the repression of Islam, or making particular moral or theological judgements about the society they are in). This isn't really an issue with Zionism as far as I know.

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